Catapult



(No Model.)

E. L. CHBSEBRO.

GATAPULT.

No. 565,259. Patented Aug. 4, '1896,v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE L. CHESEBRO, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CATA P U LT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,259, dated August 4, 1896.

' Y Application nea May 27,1896. serairo. 593,209. maman.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, EUGENE L. CHEsEBRo, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massach usetts,have invented new and useful Improvements in Toy Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy guns; and the object of the invention is to produce a device for throwing either a ball or an arrow by the spring action of one end of an elastic tongue of suitable material on said projectile; and the invention consists in the construction of the device, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the device and shows the method of its manipulation by the user. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view thereof in vertical section, and a view of the parts in another position being shown in dotted lines.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the device, having the handle B on the upper end thereof and two parallel legs C C'. Said frame may be made of any suitable wood or, if so desired, of metal. The two lower eX- tremities are pointed to the end that said points may be sunk into the ground when in the act of discharging a projectile. Said pointed ends may be shod with metal, if desired. A metal yoke D unites said legs C C' near their lower extremities,the socketed ends CZ d of which are pinned to the said legs or 0therwise secured thereon. Secured to the said yoke is the support for the projectile, consisting of the U-shaped wire frame E, the ends of which are riveted or otherwise secured to the said yoke at a proper angle to said legs C C', the loop e, uniting said two parallel side wires, being bent to the shape of a downhanging curve to serve as a guide and support for the projectile when the latter is in the form of an arrow.

The propulsive element of this gun is a iiexible arm F, suitably tapered from one end to the other, and supported in a position substantially central between the two legs of the said frame on a metal loop H, secured in any suitable manner on the frame just above the point where said two legs C C unite, a pin h, fixed transversely through the arm F, serving to maintain said arm in its proper position vertically relative to the yoke D. Said arm is made, preferably, like the frame, of a suitable wood, but. may be of metal, if desired, and the length thereof between the pin h and its lower extremity is such that the latter will engage more or less with the bac-k side of said yoke, as shown in the drawings. The upper extremity of said flexible arm F is provided with the curved portion F' on that side thereof next to the frame A. An operating-lever is pivoted at a proper point in the handle B relative to the said curve F', said lever consisting of a forked part Z, of metal, and a handle part L, of wood, securely fastened between the parallel arms of said forked parts, the other extremity of said metal part Z being pivot-ed in the frame A at m, as shown. Between the two arms of the part Z of the operating-lever a suitable pin o is lixed, which, when the operating-lever is brought down over the curved end of the arm' F, bears on the curved surface F.

The operation of the device is as follows:` A projectile having been placed on its snpport near the lower end of the legs C C', the handle B of the frame is grasped with one hand and the other handv grasps the handle of the operating-lever, and, forcing it downward, the pin o, acting on the curve of part F of the arm F, carries it outward, the lower extremity of said arm engaging more or less with the yoke D. Said arm is, by the continued downward action ofthe operating-lever, bent, as shown in the drawings. The

ycontinued exure of said arm disengages the lower extremity thereof from its engagement with the yoke D, which forcibly springs out from engagement in the said yoke, and impinging on the projectile sends it toward its mark.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The herein-described device for throwing projectiles consisting of the forked frame A, a flexible arm supported therein, for operation between the forked ends of said frame, an operating-lever pivoted in said frame and engaging with the upper end of said arm, and means of engagement between the lower end IOO of said arm and the lower' ends of said forked and the yoke D, having thereon the projecpart of the frame, Vand Imeans of support for` tile-support, substantially as described. :L projectile near the lower end of said arm, EUGENE L CHESEBRO substantially as described. 5 2. In combination, the forked frame A, the Vtnesses:

flexible arm F, an operating-handle pivoted` to said frame and engaging with said arm,

H. A. CHAPIN, K. I. CLEMoNs. 

